This type of conveyor plate chain is known, for example, from DE 295 05 477 U1. The conveyor plate chain described there consists of crimped chain links, which are all constructed the same, whereby at the narrower end a joint sleeve is pressed in through which in each case a joint pin extends, which is held on the opposite side by a locking ring. The other end of the joint pin is welded to a single plate of a plate conveyor. The single plate exhibits a circular arc-shaped recess on one face side, in which the matching other end of the adjacent plate engages with a slight gap, so that a plate conveyor, which is closed up as far as possible, is formed. In this illustrated embodiment each plate is joined to just one of the joint pins. Although this conveyor plate chain has the advantage that the plate conveyor extends parallel to the drive sprockets of the chain so that consequently a very flat plate-conveyor drive can be produced, the chain is lacking in terms of its stiffness and production costs.